f they
impoverish, often dazzle and gratify the people, was exchanged for
familiar entertainments, which gave rise to frequent jealousies among
the nobles, and tended to lower that sense of awe and respect for
royalty among the people, which in monarchies it is of the utmost
importance to preserve.

At this time, also, philosophical discussion had reached its pinnacle
of boldness. Infidelity had woven the web of discord in the human
mind, which was now ripe for experiment, and ROUSSEAU and VOLTAIRE
were the favourite authors.

Previous to the year 1789, from the extreme disorder of the finances,
it became necessary to raise money by extraordinary taxes, which the
common powers of the parliament were deemed insufficient to
authorize; and afraid, in the present temper of the people, to impose
upon them unusual burthens, ministers looked with solicitude for
some other sanctions.

Monsieur DE CALONNE was unwilling to adopt so dangerous an expedient
as that of assembling the states-general; [Footnote: An Assembly
consisting of deputies from the three orders of citizens in France,
namely, the clergy, the nobility, and the tiers-etat; which last
included every French citizen who was not of the clergy or nobility.]
he therefore adopted the expedient of summoning an assembly of
_notables_, or eminent persons, chosen by the King from the different
parts of the kingdom.

This assembly did not prove so favourable to the measures of the
minister as he expected: Monsieur DE CALONNE was displaced, and the
assembly was soon after dissolved, having declared itself incompetent
to decide on the taxes proposed.

The King then commanded the parliament of Paris to register his
edicts for successive loans to the government; but his commands
were rejected. [Footnote: Chiefly, as it was supposed, through the
influence of the Duke of Orleans.]

In the meantime, that spirit of discussing philosophical subjects,
which we have before mentioned, now fixed itself on politics. The
people exclaimed against the weight of taxes, and the extravagance
of courtiers; they complained of peculiar exemptions from the
general burthens, and of grievances which arose from lettres-de
-cachet, and other despotic powers of the government.

The King, desirous of yielding to the wishes of the people, recalled
Monsieur NECKAR to the administration, and in conformity to his
advice, his Majesty declared his resolution of convening the
states-general. But